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ECFA receives legislative approval
By Shih Hsiu-chuan AND Vincent Y. chao
STAFF REPORTERS
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010, Page 1
Taiwan Referendum Alliance convener Tsay Ting-kuei,
front right, and other protestors strip down to their underwear outside the
Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday, complaining that Taiwan will lose
everything under the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).
PHOTO: CNA
The legislature yesterday ratified the cross-strait Economic Cooperation
Framework Agreement (ECFA) after a showdown that saw all the Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) caucus¡¦ motions voted down by the Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT) majority.
The vote took place after more than 10 hours of clause-by-clause deliberation,
with KMT and DPP lawmakers taking the floor in turn to speak for and against the
ECFA.
Yesterday was the first day of the second provisional session of the summer
recess initiated by the KMT caucus to have the legislature ratify the ECFA that
Taiwan signed with China on June 29.
Describing the ECFA as the ¡§most important treaty¡¨ Taiwan had signed since World
War II in terms of its negative impact on the nation¡¦s sovereignty, DPP caucus
whip Ker Chien-ming (¬_«Ø»Ê) said his caucus had done its best to warn against the
agreement.
¡§The ECFA was a product of the KMT cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party
in bringing Taiwan under the control of China economically, moving toward
eventual unification,¡¨ Ker said.
The vote proceeded smoothly after the KMT caucus and President Ma Ying-jeou¡¦s
(°¨^¤E) administration, initially having insisted on a single vote for the entire
ECFA as a package, on Monday agreed to allow motions for revision of the ECFA on
an individual basis.
The vote started at 9:20pm. Holding just 33 seats in the 112-seat legislature,
the DPP failed in each of its 18 motions.
DPP lawmakers then shouted anti-ECFA slogans, saying the agreement was signed
under the ¡§one China¡¨ principle.
The KMT caucus, meanwhile, proceeded with its motion to vote for the accord as a
whole package.
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (¿à¤h¸¶) hailed the passage of the ECFA, saying its
implementation would ensure the country¡¦s economic prosperity for 50 or 60
years.
KMT Legislator Lu Shiow-yen (¿c¨q¿P) said ¡§China downgraded itself¡¨ to sign the
accord in the name of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait,
rather than its official name, in order to help boost Taiwan¡¦s economy.
Upset with the decision, pro-independence advocates gathered outside the
legislature cried foul and said the agreement would subject Taiwan to growing
Chinese interference.
Holding placards and chanting anti-government slogans, around 50 activists had
gathered outside the legislature hours before the vote, saying the review was
flawed.
Leading the group, National Taiwan University professor Tsay Ting-kuei (½²¤B¶Q)
said the ECFA would ¡§strip Taiwanese people of everything and was an abuse of
the people¡¦s rights.¡¨
To prove his point, he stripped off, along with four other activists.
Other activists climbed onto the legislature¡¦s main gate, shouting the ECFA
would leave Taiwan with no future and that it should be put to a referendum.
Some painted themselves with green paint, saying that the agreement ¡§raped
Taiwan.
Although protestors verbally clashed with police at one point in the evening, no
scuffles broke out between the group and police.
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